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STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET PARISH COUNCIL
OPEN SPACES
MINUTES of a meeting of the OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE held at 7.45pm on Wednesday 14 January
2015 in the Council Offices, Crafton Green House, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT:
Cllr S Dunn (Chairman), Cllrs M Caton ,C Dean, J Freeman, F Richards, J Salmon, J
Savopoulos and G Sell
ATTENDING:
Mrs R Clifford (Clerk)
Mr T Lloyd (Assistant to the Clerk)
Cllr J O’Brien
1 Member of the public
342
APOLOGIES -
Cllr V Trundle
343
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
344
MINUTES
-
None.
The minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 12 November had been approved at Full
Council in December so were signed as a true record.
345
MATTERS ARISING
270- Bus Shelter still not satisfactory. Steve will be requested to move this up his to do list and
the Clerk assured members that the work would be done by the time of the next meeting.
272- Cllr Dean reported on her inspection of the trees causing concern. Although the tree is not
particularly large it is difficult to assess until it is fully in leaf. The Clerk agreed to arrange for the
self-seeding trees on the Rec to be removed.
346
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
347
TREE MATTERS
a]
-
nothing to report
General
The Clerk reported that we are still awaiting a date for the appeal on the trees at the Tennis
Club which we have been recommended to fell on safety grounds.
b]
Consideration of planting a King John Oak tree to commemorate Magna Carta
It was agreed that the precise location would have to be negotiated with the Elms Farm
developers.
348
GARDENING, GRASS CUTTING AND BULB PLANTING
Cllr Savopoulos reported his disappointment at the bulb planting on Walson Way. The area
covered on this year’s planting was on his estimate only a third of last year’s at the same
cost. The Clerk informed the meeting that the contractors had not been paid and it was
agreed to invite the contractors to a meeting to agree an appropriate reduction in charges.
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Concerns were expressed about the poor state of the verges on the Mountfitchet estate
caused by parking. The Clerk undertook to price putting in wooden or concrete posts as well
tarmaccing some of the areas. There was a consensus that in the longer term the council
needed to work on a strategy to improve the environment on the estate.
349
FOOTPATHS
The Clerk will circulate Bill Stiles’s report when he submits it. It was agreed to request
action from the Highway Rangers on footpaths where issues were identified.
350
LITTER
It was agreed that the Spring Litter Pick should take place on Saturday 11 April and that
Churchill’s should be approached to see if they are prepared to continue their sponsorship.
The Clerk was requested to contact UDC to deal with the litter at Gypsy Lane which has
become very unsightly.
351
CEMETERY
The Clerk had approved a memorial application for the grave of Sarah Radukic .
352
PLAY EQUIPMENT
a]
General
The Clerk reported that we are still awaiting the contractors to give us a date for work to
commence on the Bentfield Green play area.
b]
Skatepark
The Clerk reported that a site meeting had been held with the new project manager from
FreeStyle to resolve some design issues. The planning application has gone live but we are
still awaiting the outcome of a funding application to ECC. A formal request to have s106
money available if needed has been made to UDC.
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FORESTHALL PARK
a]The Clerk reported that she had had preliminary talks with Croudace about them handing
over the open spaces on the development to Parish Council management. She proposed that
Cllrs Dunn, Caton, Jones and Savopoulos join her to walk the estate to assess the work that
will be involved and agree the standards that potential contractors should be asked to quote
on. In the longer term it was agreed that an assessment should be made about the relative
merits of employing contractors to do the work compared to some kind of in-house
arrangement.
b] Cllr Savopoulos suggested that residents would welcome the use of some of the s106
community fund money to provide picnic tables in Rochford Square. He agreed to consult
the residents association to establish a “wish list” of other amenity projects they would like
to see.
354
STANSTED IN BLOOM- nothing to report
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355
BIRCHANGER WOOD
Cllr Caton raised concerns about funding issues she had identified in the minutes of the last
meeting. Cllr Sell reported that they had reserves of £21,000 and in his opinion the finances
were very well managed.
Meeting closed 8.35 pm